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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26038984">These Tender Thoughts That Only Seem to Grow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttacticianmagician/pseuds/ttacticianmagician'>ttacticianmagician</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Claudeleth Week 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Pining, Silver Snow Route, Spoilers for Silver Snow, spoilers for claude's backstory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:40:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,665</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26038984</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttacticianmagician/pseuds/ttacticianmagician</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Well, you should have joined the Golden Deer.” Claude smiled again. “It might not actually be too late for you to switch. Rhea thinks so highly of you, I’m sure she could pull some strings to switch you with Manuela.”</p><p>“I don’t think that’s possible.” Byleth shook her head. “Besides, I’m happy with the Black Eagles. I couldn’t leave them if I tried.”</p><p>“And, being the house leader of the Golden Deer, I couldn’t leave my class if I tried.” Despite his sad admittance, Byleth couldn’t hear any regret in Claude’s voice. She still wasn’t sure if he was being serious about any of this, but she decided to believe that he was, only if to make what he said next easier to digest.</p><p>“But let me promise you this. I’m more than happy to share my ambitions with you, even though you’re not part of the Golden Deer. I’m sure I can make room for someone like you after we graduate. Just don’t tell Edelgard, ok? I get the feeling she’s the jealous type.”</p><p>---</p><p>Five years after a promise was made between Byleth and Claude, they reunite under a moonlit sky. Except one of them thinks that they're meeting for the last time.</p><p>For Claudeleth Week 2020 Day 4: Reunion/Pining</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Claudeleth Week 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842265</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>These Tender Thoughts That Only Seem to Grow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Here I am, posting this out of order and a month late to the prompt, but at least I got it done right? I had this idea in my head and managed to bang it out in one afternoon. But the thing is, my beta reader only reviewed the pre-timeskip part of the story because she doesn't want to be spoiled on the Silver Snow route. So if things get funky in the second half, that's all on me lmao.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You should have joined the Golden Deer, Teach.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Claude repeated that simple statement to Byleth throughout her year at the Officer’s Academy, starting from the moment she chose to teach the Black Eagle house. The house leader of the Golden Deer was understandably disappointed that he didn’t manage to snag the new mysterious and powerful professor, but he hid his disappointment under easygoing words and lighthearted laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But that’s ok. I’m sure we can get to know each other, despite being in different classes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth first brushed off his casual remark, thinking that he was just putting minimal effort to sway her to his side, in case she was having second doubts. But he persisted, even though she made it clear she was happy with her choice. Claude participated in her interclass seminars and training sessions, occasionally sat next to her during mealtimes, and struck up insightful conversations on the off chance that they encountered each other in the library. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Any normal person might have been annoyed by his obvious attempts to steal her away, but Byleth wasn’t exactly normal. She wasn’t bothered by these moments with the heir to House Riegan, not when she also sought to connect with other students outside of the Black Eagle house. In her mind, everyone in the Officer’s Academy was a potential friend. She shouldn’t deny her budding bonds because of an arbitrary choice she made at the beginning at the school year. So she offered everyone her wisdom garnered from a life of a mercenary and a set of ears to listen to their various woes. All that she asked for in return were the subtle life lessons she missed as someone without a heartbeast. How to laugh, how to smile, how to cry…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly, Claude ended up being her biggest teacher in these regards. It wasn’t as if Byleth’s other students weren’t great teachers of life. For example, Caspar taught her a great deal about the idea of justice, Hubert taught her how to respect someone while still threatening them with bodily harm, and Edelgard taught her what it was like to be trusted. But there was something about Claude that was different, like he was teaching her something else entirely. Byleth found her cheeks blushing whenever Claude flattered her with praise, her skin tingling whenever she touched him to correct his posture, her chest aching whenever he reiterated that she should have been the Golden Deer’s professor. After some thought, she was certain that she didn’t feel this way just because Claude was a quick learner that soaked up her tutelage like a sponge. Nor was it because he was utterly fascinated with her Sword of the Creator and her Crest of Flames. And it definitely wasn’t because she enjoyed their lively discussions on the philosophy of the Church of Seiros.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, there was something else going on. Being his student in the ways of emotions, Byleth wanted to ask him what all this meant, but she held herself back. She knew well enough that if he reacted poorly to these new feelings of hers, things would never be the same between them. So she kept her thoughts to herself, only indulging in them when she was sure there would be no repercussions she couldn’t handle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like on the night of the ball. Claude took her hand and spun her around in the golden ballroom of Garreg Mach. Two pairs of feet glided over the polished floor, although when Byleth stared into his verdant eyes, she couldn’t feel their footsteps at all. She instead felt like she was flying high in the sky, with the candelabras around lighting their flight like twinkling stars. Those warm feelings, trapped in the back of her mind, broke free of their prison as she wondered if Claude felt the same way towards her. Before she could ask, he drew her closer until he could lower his head and whisper into her ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should have joined the Golden Deer, Teach. Then we might be able to dance the whole night away without sparking a riot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On that note, he let go of his grip on Byleth and fell away. The Black Eagles professor stood in silence, still lingering in their intimate moment that provided relief against the harsh truth. She only snapped out of her trance when another student approached her for a dance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth’s time at the ball passed in a blink of an eye. By the end of the night, she was basically dead on her feet. She needed to get away before anymore students could ensnare her for another round of dancing. However, the only place that would allow her reprieve was the Goddess Tower. Her feet were definitely sore by the time she climbed to the top, but she allowed herself to relax once she saw no one else was up here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least, not for long. Footsteps behind Byleth caused her to whirl around and come face to face with a familiar green-eyed person. Claude looked just as surprised to see her at the top of the Goddess Tower, and for several seconds, neither of them said anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what a coincidence.” He ended that silence with a chuckle. “I didn’t take you for someone that believed in the silly rumor that shrouds this place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What rumor?” Byleth tilted her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The rumor that if a man and a woman make a wish up here, it will be granted by the Goddess.” Claude laughed again. “But if such a thing was true, there would be a lot more people up here. Speaking of which, why are you here? Wait, I get it. You wanted to get away from all those stuffy nobles with their stuffy noble dances.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth nodded. She found his phrasing a bit peculiar, but said nothing about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heh. Honestly, I feel the same way. But you know, since we’re here together through a strange coincidence, do you want to pray with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want to pray for?” Byleth asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm, let’s pray for our ambitions to come true. How about that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Byleth nodded again, Claude turned his gaze towards the ceiling and recited some nonsensical prayer towards the Goddess. The flamboyant way he spoke pulled the corners of Byleth’s mouth into a faint smile. Claude glanced back at her and smiled as well, although his grin was more impish than the one on Byleth’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By the way, what kind of ambitions do you have?” Claude inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… don’t know if I have one.” Byleth’s smile quickly faded from view. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not even something your heart desires?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that she thought about it, she really wouldn’t call what she wanted an ambition. More like a hope, or a wistful wish. And maybe because they were in a tower built upon hopes and wishes, her non-beating heart couldn’t hold back the answer building up on her tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want… you to be my student.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A beat. Byleth couldn’t discern the odd look in Claude’s eyes. Did he think she was joking, or was he taking her seriously? During the tense, wordless exchange, Byleth figured out what he was going to say next, yet she still flinched when Claude uttered his response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you should have joined the Golden Deer.” Claude smiled again. “It might not actually be too late for you to switch. Rhea thinks so highly of you, I’m sure she could pull some strings to switch you with Manuela.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s possible.” Byleth shook her head. “Besides, I’m happy with the Black Eagles. I couldn’t leave them if I tried.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And, being the house leader of the Golden Deer, I couldn’t leave my class if I tried.” Despite his sad admittance, Byleth couldn’t hear any regret in Claude’s voice. She still wasn’t sure if he was being serious about any of this, but she decided to believe that he was, only if to make what he said next easier to digest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But let me promise you this. I’m more than happy to share my ambitions with you, even though you’re not part of the Golden Deer. I’m sure I can make room for someone like you after we graduate. Just don’t tell Edelgard, ok? I get the feeling she’s the jealous type.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth, rendered speechless by his bold proclamation, could only nod numbly. She honestly wanted something a bit more than guaranteed employment under Claude or whatever he was promising, but given their current situation, this was the most she could hope for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Claude.” She eventually stated, forcing other desires back into their secluded corner of her mind. She wouldn’t let herself ruin this moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the last time she allowed those tender feelings outside of their cage, although not because she hated what they wrought. Soon after the ball, Jeralt was killed by the villain that took Monica’s shape. Byleth became inconsolable throughout the next few weeks, barely appearing outside of her room except to do what was necessary. She thought that her students taught her the meaning of sadness well, but it turned out that the profound loss of her father was the most powerful and cruelest teacher of them all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet, she also learned a valuable lesson on the breadth of human kindness. Everyone in the Officer’s Academy gave her their condolences one way or another. Byleth received various gifts from her students, like flowers from Dorothea and home cooked meals from Bernadetta. She was also given words of encouragement from Edelgard and vows of vengeance from Dimitri. As for Claude… well, he snuck into Jeralt’s old room and ‘borrowed’ his diary. When he revealed this to Byleth, she was at first upset, but allowed him to explain that he did so to understand just how much Jeralt loved her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, despite his appearance, your dad was quite a poet. He wrote a bunch of mushy stuff in his journal, so forgive me when I have to paraphrase them.” Claude cleared his throat before glancing down at the book in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘I may have made a lot of bad decisions in my life, but my daughter is not one of them. She is a beam of sunshine piercing through cloudy skies, a bright flower sprouting among debris. Whenever I see her happy, my own heart soars. Whenever I see her hurt, I would do everything in my power to heal her. There are not enough words to truly describe how precious she is to me, and not enough I can do to show how much I love her. I can only hope when I give this diary to Byleth, she’ll understand what she meant to me…’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her father’s words, recited by Claude, moved Byleth to tears again. She leaned forward and rested her dampened cheek on Claude’s shoulders, not caring that she got his clothes wet. And apparently, Claude didn’t care either. The two of them sat together in almost-silence. The only sounds in Byleth’s bedroom was her own sobbing and Claude’s gentle reassurance, barely spoken above a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as Byleth would have liked to spend the rest of the year in her room, with Claude by her side, there were murderers to catch. Byleth recovered from her mourning to rush headfirst into an obvious trap laid by Kronya and Solon. In order to escape the everlasting darkness, Sothis merged with Byleth to grant her a goddess’s power and appearance. Yet somehow, she wasn’t as grief stricken as last time. She supposed that not only did she learn her lesson about sadness well, she knew that Sothis would always be a part of her, even if Byleth could no longer see or hear her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhea permitted Byleth to bring students, her chosen champions really, on her trip to the Holy Tomb. There, she would receive a divine revelation, much like Saint Seiros of years gone by. For such an important occasion, Byleth could not leave the friends she made from outside the Black Eagle House. She invited Dimitri, the Blue Lions, the Golden Deer, and Claude to come along. As they descended into the eerily-colored room of stone, Byleth noted Claude’s awestruck eyes with some amusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her insistence on bringing everyone turned out to be quite fortuitous, as Edelgard revealed her true colors during this mission. But even with all her friends at her back, Byleth couldn’t believe what was happening. She couldn’t believe that Edelgard was the Flame Emperor, the one who orchestrated all these terrible events throughout the school year. She couldn’t believe that Dimitri shattered what was left of his self-restraint to go on a single-minded, bloody rampage against her. Only Claude remained his usual self as he fired off arrow after arrow. Well, he was of course more shocked than before, but his aim stayed true, and during a chaotic fight like this, that was all Byleth could hope for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Edelgard fled, she used her new Imperial crown to declare war on the Church of Seiros. Byleth was swept in a whirlwind of events to prepare for the upcoming assault on Garreg Mach. She hardly had the time to care for the former Black Eagle students, who were stuck between their want for peace and their allegiance towards their homeland, much less her other students and Claude. Those eight words rang in her mind every time she caught a glimpse of their owner scurrying around like a packrat, in the middle of his own preparations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What would have happened if she picked the Golden Deer house a year ago? She certainly would have been spared Edelgard’s betrayal. And maybe her relationship with Claude would have been more than just furtive glances across courtyards and snatches of conversations in between responsibilities. But as the Adrestian Empire marched onto Garreg Mach, Byleth couldn’t reminiscence on what-ifs any longer. Especially after she was caught off guard by a dark magic spell and tossed into a yawning ravine…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Five years. She had been gone for five years. All her students had matured so admirably, and it wasn’t just the former Black Eagles that rejoined her. The Blue Lions, sans Dimitri and Dedue, and the Golden Deer, sans Claude, kept the promise made so long ago. Even Edelgard showed up, if only to convince Byleth back to her side. But once Byleth reaffirmed her stance, Edelgard departed with the bitter oath that the next time they met, it would be as enemies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth shouldn’t have expected Claude to appear, yet she found herself wanting for his presence. He didn’t have as good of an excuse for being absent as Dimitri, who was reportedly executed for treason. Especially since he made that promise to her on the Goddess Tower, the promise that she would have a place in his ambitions. Although Byleth supposed that he couldn’t fulfill it anymore now that he became the leader of the Alliance. It would be impossible for someone of his station to drop everything and join up with an outside force, all based on an eager child’s half-serious sentiment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To make matters worse, whenever Byleth thought of him, his voice echoed in her mind, teasing her about joining the Golden Deer. It wasn’t anything she hadn’t heard before, but the long years since she last met him made her yearning more potent. It got to the point where she had to shake the sights and sounds of Claude out of her head if she wanted to lead this newly formed resistance army effectively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She became so good at keeping a lid on her feelings, she didn’t even allow her thoughts to wander when she read the letter of Claude. It helped that its content was strictly business in nature. Claude would help the resistance army get to the Great Bridge of Myrddin, and in return, they would liberate it from Imperial control. A masterful scheme, Byleth had to admit. Claude wouldn’t risk losing the support of House Gloucester and other Imperial-aligned houses if he got someone else to do his dirty work. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it wasn’t an outright declaration of support, not by any means. It was still possible for the Leicester Alliance to turn on Byleth’s army for whatever reason, so she had to stop herself from reading in between the lines of his letter. Byleth already struggled with the idea of warring against her former star pupil, Edelgard. She didn’t know if she could step onto a battlefield that also had Claude on the other side. She couldn’t delude herself into thinking that Claude still harbored any affection for her after everything that happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As it turned out, she didn’t need to worry about that. Not long after the Bridge of Myrddin was freed, she received a report that Edelgard, Claude, and a suddenly resurrected Dimitri fought against each other on Gronder Field, just like the mock battle of five years prior. Only this time, Edelgard was defeated and forced to retreat, Dimitri was slain for real, and Claude disappeared to places unknown. Byleth felt tears welling up in the corners of her eyes while she read the somber report. To think that two of the three former house leaders were vanquished in a single battle, to think that she could have prevented such losses if she marched to Gronder alongside the Kingdom and the Alliance instead of hanging back to recuperate...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night after she found out about Dimitri’s death, he appeared before her for one last heart-to-heart talk. At first, Byleth didn’t even recognize him with his messy blond hair, striking eyepatch, and rugged black armor that seemed more barbaric than princely. But there was no mistaking him when he mourned his actions that led to his demise. Byleth opened her mouth to reconcile with him, to convince him to stay this time, only for his melancholic phantom to vanish the instant Seteth arrived at the scene. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Byleth wondered about his disappearance, Seteth shared her confusion with furrowed eyebrows. “I can't say for certain that you were dreaming, but if someone did come here to see you… That person only wanted you to see their face. Perhaps they wanted you to guide them…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Those words haunted her for some time, even after Dimitri’s spirit had moved on. She did not need to start wondering about what would have happened if she had joined the Blue Lions, not when she was already preoccupied with hypotheticals about the Golden Deer. But she found herself laying awake late at night anyway, one week after the battle at Gronder Field. What would happen to Fodlan after the war was over? Any peace she would achieve came at a high price, the death of two great leaders, possibly three. Maybe four, if Rhea wasn’t even alive anymore. If she had picked the Golden Deer or the Blue Lions or even chosen to side with Edelgard, would she have this much blood on her hands? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth rolled over in her bed to remind herself of something important. Claude wasn’t dead. At least, she didn’t think he was. They never found his body, which is why they marked him down as missing in action rather than deceased. Maybe he fled the scene to achieve his nebulous ambitions elsewhere. No matter what he was doing or what state he was in, Byleth shouldn’t get her hopes up. Even if he was alive, he was gone. He couldn’t come to her aid anymore. She would never again hear the lilt of his voice, feel the warmth of his skin, and see the radiance of his smile. Not unless he appeared as a ghost like Dimitri did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was foolish to entertain the thought of quelling her regrets with such a whimsical idea, yet she did. Byleth got out of bed and put on clothes that were suitable for a moonlit stroll around the monastery. She didn’t actually expect to see Claude in the middle of the night, and in the middle of unfriendly territory for him, but a breath of fresh air should clear out these dismal thoughts at the very least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth wandered along well-worn paths, unaccompanied by anyone save for the infrequent stray cat, and forced her mind to fill with the echoes of her footsteps instead of the echoes of her laments. Her efforts to relax proved fruitful, as by the time she reached the fishing pier, she no longer dwelled upon Claude or the bloody fate that awaited Fodlan. She sat on its edge, allowing her legs to dangle dangerously close to the water. The mirror-like surface reflected the full moon and occasionally rippled with movements of swimming fish. It was the picture perfect nighttime scene, filled with so much tranquility, Byleth could practically inhale it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which meant that, it wouldn’t last long. Footsteps behind Byleth caused her to whirl around and come face to face with a familiar green-eyed person. He had seen better days, as evident by his muddied clothes, still-healing cuts and bruises, and a horrid gash over his left eye. His childish features had been molded into sharp angles with the passage of time and war and the start of a beard graced his cheeks, but she could still recognize this man before her in a single glance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Claude?” Byleth hurried up to her feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Teach.” He weakly waved a hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something got stuck in Byleth’s throat. He looked and sounded so real, but after she was fooled by Dimitri’s ghost, she couldn’t be so sure of anything anymore. She took a step forward, fingers itching to touch him. “Are you real?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I am.” Claude chuckled sheepishly. “I can see why you’d think that though. That battle at Gronder was rough. I’m lucky to have made it out of there intact. At least, intact enough to see you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held out a hand as an invitation to Byleth. She grasped it firmly, startling at how real and warm he felt. Without warning, she pulled him into a tight hug that forced all air out of Claude’s lungs. Although her face was buried into his dirty shoulder, she sensed his mute surprise that eventually gave way to solid hands wrapped around her back and head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stood like that for a long moment. Once Byleth was assured that he wouldn’t vanish when she released him, she disentangled herself to look straight into Claude’s face. Now that she was up close, she marvelled at how much he had grown, and how much her locked-up feelings for him had grown as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But how did you get here?” She asked in some parts awe and some parts disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I snuck in with a group of refugees. Thanks to the beating I took, no one recognized me.” He winked with his good eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile crept up on Byleth’s face, compelling her to yank him into another embrace, but Claude’s arms suddenly fell away. He averted his gaze and backed off, perhaps to dash the faint glimmer of hope his reappearance had given her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Teach… No, Byleth… I’m not here for the reason you think I am here for. I’m here to say good-bye before I leave Fodlan for good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leveled his remaining green eye at her, a sign that he was earnest for once. Byleth clenched her teeth and curled her fingers into balled fists. At first, she refused to let those chilling words take hold of her, but how could she deny them when he looked so serious?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” She ended up whispering. “Why are you leaving?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To be honest, as much as I love Fodlan and everyone here, it was never my real home.” Claude replied. “From the sound of things, you probably never guessed that I wasn’t born here. I only came to Fodlan and joined the Leicester Alliance to fulfill my lofty ambitions of breaking down the barriers between this country and my homeland, and maybe even between everywhere else. But my defeat at Gronder Field took everything from me. My troops, my resources, my health, my tenuous hold over the roundtable…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Claude casted his gaze to the side again. “This avenue has been closed off to me forever. The only way my dream can survive now is if I go back home and try to make things better there. To be honest, that was my end goal all along, but I wanted to return as a victorious hero, not as a dog with his tail between his legs. But beggars can’t be choosers. I should be thankful that I get to return at all. And I get to see you one last time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stepped backwards, widening the gap between himself and Byleth. Byleth, in all of her stubbornness, closed that gap with her own step.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. It can’t end like this. Please don’t leave, not after Edelgard and Dimitri...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Byleth.” Claude’s stare still refused to meet hers. “I know that I said that I was going to share my dreams with you, but I don’t think I’ll be able to uphold that promise. The country I’m returning to is distrustful of people from Fodlan. You would be torn apart in seconds, especially with who you represent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides,” He forced himself to smile, “You can still do a lot of good here. You have so many people supporting you, from nobles to commoners, from outsiders to insiders, and everyone in between. I have every faith that you can make Fodlan a great place once Edelgard is stopped.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned around to walk away again. Byleth didn’t go after him this time, only because she knew that gesture would be futile. It sounded like he made up his mind long before he got the chance to speak with his old friend. But even though her rationale froze her legs in place, the feelings she had locked away for five years banged on their prison doors until they broke free at last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth opened her mouth and allowed whatever her traitorous tongue to say what it wanted to say. “Will I ever see you again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Claude stopped in his tracks, but didn’t turn to face her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Claude, be honest with me. Put my feelings to rest so I can end this war with a clear mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her truthful words hung in the air thick with tension. Byleth was scared that he would run off without giving an answer, but finally, he said something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Admittedly… I don’t think I will ever return.” His voice was ladened with heavy guilt. “In order to secure power in my homeland, I will have to put myself in a lot of danger. It’s unlikely I’ll survive, considering the wounds I’ve already sustained and the ire that my disgraceful return will earn me. But I have to follow through my dreams. I’d rather die working towards something than to live as an empty man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another pause. Claude forced himself to face her so she could see his honest, openly pained expression, and tears accumulating in his right eye. “Again, I’m really sorry about this, Byleth. I wished, all those years ago, that you had joined the Golden Deer. Perhaps our story would have ended differently if you did. But there’s no use dwelling on the past, with how far we’ve come. So… This is it. Good-bye.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Claude whirled around and took a step into the darkness of the night. His final words broke the paralysis over Byleth’s legs, and she ran over to him and grabbed his hand before he could disappear for good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. This is not it.” She announced defiantly. “I may not have been able to join you back then, but you can join me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Claude looked at her to laugh in her face. “What use would I be? I lost my weapon, my wyvern, and any ties to the Alliance. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to shoot a bow again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You still have your mind and your silver tongue. You can still be the Master Tactician.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who would listen to someone as broken as me? Please, Byleth, be rational about this. There’s nothing left for me here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And there’s nothing left but certain death in your homeland. You confessed to that much.” Despite Claude’s efforts to tear away from her, she still clung to him insistently. “But if you stay here and help me, at least until the war’s end, I can help you make a triumphant return back home. It might not be the return you hoped for, but it’s better than what you’ll get right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He fell silent as he ceased his struggles against her grip. For a fearful second, Byleth thought he was going to refuse her again. She readied more rebuttals, responses as passionate as her inert heart would allow, but to her shock and relief, Claude broke out into a smile that reached his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You make quite a convincing case, my friend.” He murmured, as if he couldn’t believe that he was agreeing with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I have more I need to say.” Byleth continued on, her long-suppressed feelings flowing freely like wine. “I still want to be a part of your ambitions. You may think that your dreams are dead in Fodlan, and that you have nothing left to give me, but just having you by my side is enough. I can’t bear to lose another person I care about…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His one-eyed stare studied every detail of her sincere expression. Byleth didn’t shrink from such intense scrutinization. In fact, she stared back to let him know she meant every word of what she said. Now that she admitted her true feelings to him the best she could, she wouldn’t let him slink away into the night so easily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re serious, aren’t you?” He muttered. “You actually care about me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do care about you.” That confession felt comfortable on her tongue, as if it belonged there. “I’ve cared for you ever since the academy days, I think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s a relief. I thought I was strange for nurturing a crush on a professor of a different class. Also, a professor to a princess that turned out to be a conqueror in disguise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not responsible for how Edelgard- Did you say you had a crush on me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoops. I guess I did.” Claude straightened himself to shrug in a casual way. “And I guess I still do, if I crawled all the way here to say good-bye to you, only to change my mind at the last second.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He might have said more after that, but Byleth was solely focused on what Claude just revealed to her. A crush. That was what her warm and fuzzy feelings were. Was she supposed to have sealed them away like she did, especially now knowing that Claude returned them? Regardless of what she should have done, the fact that their true intentions were out in the open meant that this fated meeting was no longer a mere farewell. It was now a reunion that both of them deserved, after suffering through so many hardships and unspoken crushes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were still many questions buzzing in Byleth’s mind, however. “Claude, if you cared for me for so long, how come you never approached me once I came back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that was a foolish move on my part.” Claude smirked at himself. “With how precarious my situation was, I couldn’t lose focus for even a second. If the other nobles knew I was going behind their backs to ally with you, the Alliance would have splintered and been crushed under the heels of the Empire. The best I could do was to encourage Judith to help you and allow you to reach the Bridge of Myrddin. But if I knew how everything was going to turn out, I would have joined you in a heartbeat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did the best you could. Not everyone can know of the future.” Byleth said, knowing full well the irony behind her statement. “All that matters now is that you’re here. If you truly mean to join me…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I will join you. How could I not, after everything we said?” Claude flashed a dazzling smile. “Even if my future might not be as glorious as what I originally envisioned, it will have you in it. And… that means a lot to me. Really. There are not enough words to truly describe how wonderful you are, and not enough I can do to show how much you mean to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean a lot to me too.” Byleth tugged Claude closer so she could hug him again. This time, he did not resist, and readily sank into her arms. She almost didn’t want to say anything, but their comforting embrace coaxed her remaining words out of her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Claude, for not leaving me…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t reply back immediately, opting to let the serenity of the night do his job for him. But just like Byleth, he couldn’t stay quiet for long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, if I’m going to stick around, you can’t call me Claude von Riegan anymore. It would raise too many questions, and I don’t want to start any in-fighting on my account.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Byleth didn’t exactly agree, but she figured she would let Claude have this point. He might need time to recover from his injuries, time more easily earned if he wasn’t the archduke of the Alliance. “What do you want me to call you then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifted his head from Byleth’s shoulders, allowing her to soak in his appearance. He already looked so different from his student self, thanks to his wounded eye and the physical toll that his defeat took on him. All he needed to ward off any suspicion was different clothes, maybe a new hairdo or head accessory. After everything was said and done, the man in her arms would be known as…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Khalid. You can call me Khalid.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tbh I thought of writing ficlets of what happens next, especially the part where Claude tries and fails to hide from the Golden Deer that he survived the Battle at Gronder Field, but that would take a bit too much commitment from me. Still, if people are interested, maybe I can whip something up~</p></blockquote></div></div>
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